Starting gate release



Dec. 30, 1941' s. A. SWANSON ET AL 2,263,784?

STARTING GATE RELEASE Filed Dec. 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Deb. 1941- s. A; swANsoN ET AL 2,267,847-

STARTING GATE RELEASE Filed Dec. 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS STARTING GATE RELEASE Filed Dec. 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheef-IS r v E 5 6 G F ATTORNEYS Dec. 30, 1941. A. SWANSON E1- AL 2,267,847

STARTING GATE RELEASE Filed Dec. 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sh'eet 4 1r 7% ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,267,847 STARTING GATE RELEASE Sidney Alfred Swanson, San Bruno, and James Noel Chilcutt, Milbrae, Calif.

Application December 5, 1939, Serial No. 307,628

(Cl. l1915 .5)

3 Claims.

release is portable with the gates and stalls as a unit therewith.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the description and claims annexed hereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is front view of several of the stalls and gates in a vehicle adapted to be moved across the track at any desired point, the apparatus being broken in length to accommodate the drawing to the sheet.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but showing one of the doors in open position.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the stalls, showing the doors in plan view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the latches and latch release means.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the latch release means, but with part of the doors in section.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational sectional view of one of the hinges with the spring and end pieces in elevation.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the electrical circuit of the release mechanisms.

Fig. 8 is a modified form of latch release.

a In detail the frame supporting the gates is of generally inverted U-shape with vertical end frame members I connected at their upper ends by overhead frame member I. The end frame members carry ground wheels 3 at their lower ends supporting the frame and stalls (later to be described) for movement as a unit over the ground to the desired position across the track when the apparatus is in use.

Between end members I, and supported from and below the overhead member 2, are the stalls for the horses, said stalls being in a row between said end members. Pipes 4 depending from the overhead frame member support-said stalls. There is a front row of pipes 4 and a rear row of said pipes, said rows being parallel and extending between the end frame members. In Fig. 2, the pipes of the front row are designated 4, while the pipes of the rear row are designated 4-. The description front and rear .is used when in the stalls and ready to start, since the releasable gates are adjacent pipes 4, as will be later described.

The lower ends of corresponding pairs of pipes 4, 4' support and are connected by horizontally elongated frames covered with suitable padding in the usual manner, said covered frames being generally designated '5 and generally rectangular in shape when viewed from the side,- as indi:- cated in Fig. 2. Also, a padded frame 6 connects between each corresponding pair ofpipes 4, 4', at a point spaced above frame 5.

Pipes 4, 4' are covered with padding 1 to a height above the top of a horse positioned in the stall, and each pair of adjacent frames 5, 6 forms a part of each opposite side of such stall, thus each pair of adjacent pipes 4 and each pair of corresponding adjacent pipes 4 also partially form such opposite sides in cooperation with the frames 6.

Frames 5 extend oppositely outwardly of pipes,

4, 4" at their ends, the forwardly extending portion being designated 5' and the rearwardly extending portion being designated 5". These ex-- tensions are also padded.

Above the portion 5" are a-pair of upwardly opening U-shaped supports carried by the frame 5 for receiving the tubular ends 8 of a conventional rear gate (not shown) after a horse is'in the stall. which is removable independently of the other gates. No claim is made to this feature, which is old. Y

Above the, portion 5' of frame 5, is a padded frame .9, which frame, together with frame 5, carries'a verticallyelongated,padded centrally open door or gate frame H1. The lower end of frame Ill is at about the'level of the lower side of frame 5, while said frame extends upwardly to a point about even with the upper ends of the padding 1 on pipes 4, 4. .The space above padded frame 9 and disposed between pipe 4 and the side [0 of frame 10 adjacent thereto is covered with a wire screen 11 of relatively large mesh so as to give the jockey on a horse a fairly clear view of the adjoining stalls on one or both sides.

Each of the frames I'D hingedly' supports-a pair of rectangular gates l2 therein from the side ll) of frame ll]. over their lower halves, as indicated at 13 (Fig. 2) and the upper half of each gate commencing at about the level of thelower edge of'screen H is provided with a screen 14.

The sides of the frame IIO may-be of T iron I with reference to the front and rear .of the-horses wi h the leg 15 f the T posed-im- Each stall is provided with such gate.

These gates are padded.

wardly toward the center of the gate, or they may be made of pairs of angle iron strips secured together to provide a T shape. This construction, (Fig. 3) provides a pair of rectangular seats at opposite sides of leg l5 each adapted to receive one of the adjoining pairs of gates of adjacent stalls, one of such gates being one of the gates of one stall and the other gate being one of the gates of the adjoining stall. Each stall has, of course, two of such gates each adapted to constitute half of the full gate that extends across the forward end of the stall. When the gates l2 are open, they will be substantially fully enclosed within the confines of each frame I0, said frames ll! being cushioned to conform generally to the cross-sectional contour of the T iron or angle irons forming the same.

The side l2 of each gate is adjacent the frame member H! of frame Ill, and supporting the gate from frame member I 0' are several spring hinges 16. These hinges (Fig. 6) are of the type that carry powerful torsion springs I1 surrounding the hinge bolt l8, each of which springs is adjustable as to tension by rotating sleeve l9 that is secured to one end of spring ll, while the opposite end of the spring is stationarily held relative to the spring enclosing barrel 28. One leaf 2| of each hinge is secured to the inner side of frame ID that faces across the stall, while the other leaf 22 is secured to the member l2 of the gate frame in a position extending perpendicularly to the plane of the gate. The torsion springs 11 are so tensioned as to constantly urgethe gates to positions within frames ID.

This position of the leaves of the springs, enables the gates to more quickly swing toward open position than where the leaves are so arranged as to be parallel when the gates are opened. In fact, one spring only seems to have substantially the power to open the gates more rapidly than heretofore.

- The gates of each stall are adapted to meet each'other at their outer edges to provide a .V-shaped end in the stall at its forward end, as indicated in Fig. 3. When moved intoengaging relation, said movement tends to'tighten the torsionsprings ll, so that release of the gates will result in their rapidly swingingiback to the open position in frames I0. 1

In the preferred form, the saidouteredges of the gates are releasably .held in engagement against the action of the torsion springhinges, by a latch member on one of said gates, which latch member has a downwardly extending hooked end 23 adapted to extend over a latch bar 24 carried by the other gate. The end 23 carries a roller 25 that engages the latch bar 24 to reduce friction between the latch and bar, during release of the latch from the bar.

Latch arm 26 (that carries the end 23) extends horizontally along the outer side of the gate that carries the same, and is pivoted to the gate at 21 at a point intermediate its ends for swinging of end 23 upwardly out of engagement withbar 24 when the opposite end .of the arm is moved downwardly.

. Acoil spring 28 is secured to said opposite end and tends constantly to pull the end 23 out of engagement with bar 24. Outwardly of said end of the latch that is opposite the end 23, and secured to the door carrying the latch, is a releasable support for the said opposite end of arm 23.

This releasable support, which will later be described in detail, includes a horizontally pivoted element 29 that normally projects toward the latch 28 and would ordinarily interfere with swinging the latch back to supporting position. To avoid this interference, the end 26' of the latch that is opposite end 23 is horizontally pivoted at 30 to the body 26 of the latch. The body 26 adjacent end extension 26' is longitudinally slotted to receive a tongue formed on the end 26, the pivot 30 extending through the tongue and the sides of said slot. Since it is desirable for end 26' to pivot downwardly only, so as to permit the same to clear element 29 when the latch 26 is re-set, the adjacent end edges 3| of extension. 26' and the body of the latch extend diagonally across the arm, as shown in Fig. 4.

The element 29 carries a roller 58 at its end adapted tosupport the outer end of extension 26' thereon when the latch is set. Said element is formed with an upwardly extending arm 29, the upper end of said arm being pivoted on shaft 32 to the sides of a housing 33. A torsion spring 34 around said shaft tends to yieldably swing the element 29 and roller 3| downwardly and from under the extension 26'.

At opposite lateral sides of the arm 29 are a pair of arms 35 formed with a downwardly opening hook'at one end adapted respectively to receive short stub'shafts 36 projecting outwardly of opposite ends of element 29. The hook ends of arms 35 are pivoted to opposite sides'of housing 33 by pivots 31 positioned above the shafts 36. A fiat release leaf 38, pivoted at 39 along its upper edge, is adapted to swing to and from a vertical position over the ends of arms 35 that areopposite the hooked ends of the latter, a stop 40 being carried by the upper wall of the housing 33 to prevent swinging of the leaf past a vertical in the direction toward element 29. This leaf is yieldably held against the stop'by any suitable spring such as coil spring'4l secured thereto at one end above pivot 39.,

Alongside the leaf 38, spaced from the side of the latter opposite the element 29, is a pair of coil magnets "connected by wires 43 in an electrical circuit 44 in which is a battery 45 and a hand switch 41, which switch is adapted/to be held in one hand of an operator, the switch being closed by gripping pressure of the hand.

When the leaf 38 is swung to vertical position away from themagnets' 42, and over the ends of arms 35, it will be seen that the roller 58 cannot swing downwardly about pivot shaft 32', since the stub shafts 33' are in the hooked endof arm 35 and abutting against the side of the hook nearest leaf 38, but if the leaf 38 is pulled'over the ends of arms 35, then the arms will be released for pivoting on pivots 31 to permit the roller 58 to ,quickly drop under the combined downward pull of spring 28 and the action of torsion spring and the latch end 23 with roller 25 will be instantly released from latch bar 24 to permit the gates I2 to swing open. As long as the magnets 42 are energized by closure of the switch 41, themagnets will hold leaf 38 against said magnets. Upon opening the switch, which will automatically open as soon as the gripping pressure 'ofthe hand on switch 41 is released, the leaf will be swung back toward vertical and the arms 35 are readily lowered at their outer ends to permitthe leaf to swing to the position indicatedin Fig. 4, ,in which position the element 29 and roller 58 are ready for again supporting the extension 26, which extension, as already described, is pivoted at 30 to permit the same to swing upwardly past roller 58. A projection 48 on the side ofthe latch arm 25 is adapted to be engaged by thehand to facilitate moving the arm 26upwardly against the pull of spring 28.

The battery '45 may be a single battery carried on frame supporting the starting gates, thus eliminating the wiring of the track, since ordinary dry cell batteries are amply adequate to actuate all of the latch release mechanisms, although a dry cell may be provided for each of the mechanisms, if desired, all connected however in a circuit for simultaneous release of the latches by a singleswitch 41.

Heretofore, the gates l2 have been actuated for swinging by tension coil springs connected between the gates and supporting framework, which springs are relatively slow, ordinarily requiring about three seconds to fully open the gates, whereas with the use of relatively powerful spring hinges, not more than one second is required, and also with latch release mechanisms heretofore used, their operation has been uncertain and variable. closing switch 41 the gates open simultaneously in approximately one seconds time, thus permitting a fast and, uniform starting of the horses.

The foregoing arrangement has been found to be preferable to others since the release of the latches requires but little power, and is fast and positive. However, where the track is wired, the modified latch release indicated in Fig. 8 may be used, wherein the latch 49, similar to latch 29, is connected at its outer end (opposite the hook) by a link 50 with the metal core i of a solenoid 52 secured to gate l2. A coil spring 53 also connected to the outer end of latch 49 holds the hooked end of the latch in engagement with latch bar 54 in the other gate of the pair. Upon energizing the solenoid by a switch, such as switch 4'! indicated in Fig. 7, the solenoid core will draw the outer end of latch 49 downwardly to cause release of the hook from the latch bar 54, said latch being pivoted at 56.

This modified form of device obviously requires considerable power, since the solenoid must not only swing the latch, but must also pull against the tension of spring 53. However, where the track is wired, such mechanism is suitable and is relatively satisfactory.

Referring again to Figs. 1, 2, it will be seen that the padded frames 5, which are the lowermost portions of the individual stalls, are supported a distance above the ground by wheels 3 that mount the main frame. With the preferred form of gate release mechanism, the frame with the stalls carried thereby are adapted to be positioned at any point on a track, and the gates may be instantly released without complicated connections with special wiring being necessary. The electrical wires connecting between the magnets 42 and switch 41, are, of course, carried from the gates on which the magnets are supported upwardly to the overhead frame member 2 and then to one of the end frame members I and downwardly, to be extended from such frame member I to any desired point. Starting bell 51 of any desired type, may, of course, be in the electrical circuit for striking simultaneously with the opening of the gates, or a conventional relay switch actuated by the gate release circuit may be positioned at any desired point on the track for causing actuation of a bell, or time indicator, or other device by the current of any other circuit.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In starting gate apparatus of the character With my arrangement upon described, a main overhead frame, a horizontal row of partition frames suspended from said overhead frame, the partition frames of said row being horizontally spaced apart to form individual stalls on opposite sides of each of the partition frames disposed between the ends-of: the row, a pair of generally vertically disposed gates hingedly supported from one of their vertically extending edges to one end to each of said partition frames arranged and adapted for swinging from. substantially parallel relation extending outwardly of said one endof each of the parti tion frames to closed position extending across one of the ends of each stall and in which positions the free edge of one of the gates of each frame that is opposite the hingedly supported edge is in substantially meeting relation with the corresponding free edge of a gate on the partition frame adjacent thereto, a gate frame carried by and rigid with each partition frame arranged and adapted to engage the free edges of the gates of each pair when the latter are in said parallel relation, spring means urging said gates to said parallel relation and releasable means for holding said gates in closed position, said gates being substantially rectangular in outline and said gate frames being centrally open and having sides substantially corresponding to the outline of the gates.

2. In starting gate apparatus of the character described, a stall having sides and gates swing-v ingly supported on one end of the stall arranged and adapted for swinging from a closed position closing said one end to an open position in which said end is open, 'gate frames on said sides into which said gates are adapted to swing when the gates are swung to open position, spring urged hinges supporting said gates for so swinging and arranged and adapted to yieldably urge said gates into said frames at all times, a pair of latch elements respectively carried on each of said gates arranged and adapted to releasably engage each other when said gates are in closed position, one of said elements being a movable latch, a spring constantly urging said latch for movement in direction out of engagement with the other element of said pair, releasable means holding said latch against said movement, a spring constantly urging said releasable means for movement in direction out of holding relation relative to said releasable means, a releasable catch supporting said releasable means against said movement and movable to a position releasing said releasable means for freeing said latch for movement of the latter out of engagement with the other element of the pair, and an electro-magnet in electrical circuit arranged and adapted to move said releasable catch out of position holding said releasable means upon closing said circuit and thereby energizing said electro-magnet, whereby said gates will automatically open upon energizing said electro-magnet.

3. In starting gate apparatus of the character described, a main overhead frame, a horizontal row of partition frames suspended from said overhead frame, the partition frames of said row being horizontally spaced apart to form individual stalls on opposite sides of each of the partition frames disposed between the ends of the row, a pair of generally vertically disposed gates hingedly supported from one of their vertically extending edges to one end of each of said partion frames arranged and adapted for swinging from substantially parallel relation extending outwardly of .said one end of each of the partition frames to closed position extending across one of the ends of each stall and in which positions the free edge of one of the gates of each frame that is opposite the hingedly supported edg is in substantially meeting relation with the corresponding free edge of a gate on the partition frame adjacent thereto, .a gate frame carried by and rigid with each partition frame arranged and adapted to engage the free edges of the gates of each pair when the latter are in said parallel relation, spring means urging said gates. to said parallel relation and releasable means for holding said gates in closed position, said gates being substantially rectangular in outline, and said gate frames corresponding substantially in outline to the gates and each gate frame being formed with laterally outwardly opening recesses at opposite sides thereof arranged and adapted to receive the edges of the gates of said pair when said gates are in said parallel relation, whereby said gates will be sub- 10 stantially enclosed by said gate frames.

SIDNEY ALFRED SWANSON. JAMES NOEL CHILCUTT. 

